New Delhi, Nov 29: Operation Sindoor is a “brilliant example” of civil-military fusion, where the administrative machinery worked seamlessly with the armed forces to communicate vital information and build public confidence, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday.

He was addressing the valedictory ceremony of the 100th Common Foundation Course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.

Singh also called upon young civil servants to understand their crucial role in safeguarding national interests, and, akin to brave soldiers, always stay ready for such critical situations.

“Operation Sindoor is a brilliant example of civil-military fusion where the administrative machinery worked seamlessly with the armed forces to communicate vital information and build public confidence,” he said.

The defence minister asserted that, during Operation Sindoor, the armed forces destroyed the terror camps in Pakistan and PoK in a “balanced and non-escalatory response, but it was the misbehaviour of the neighbouring country which did not allow the situation along the border to return to normal”.

While he commended the bravery of the soldiers, he appreciated the work carried out by the administrative officers as they communicated crucial information and ensured successful conduct of mock drills across the country.

He emphasised increased coordination between governance and national security to achieve the goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

Shedding light on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of ‘minimum government, maximum governance’ and ‘reform, perform and transform’, Singh emphasised that the civil servants have a pivotal role to play in accelerating the goal of a self-reliant and developed India.

“When our government was formed in 2014, India was ranked 11th in terms of economic size. In the last 9-10 years, we have jumped to fourth place. Even highly reputed finance firms like Morgan Stanley now say that India might become the third largest economy in the next two-three years,” Singh said.

“You are not platonic guardians but people’s servants. You are not just providers, but facilitators of empowerment. Your character should be incorruptible. Your conduct should be full of integrity. You must create a culture where honesty is neither a virtue nor an exception; but a normal part of everyday life,” he said, urging them to work with the sense of responsibility and public accountability.

Singh also called upon young civil servants to work innovatively in the technology-driven era and find solutions to the problems of the people.

“You must use technology to increase public outreach, accessibility, and transparency. Use technology to promote welfare and increase inclusivity,” he said.

Singh also stressed that as civil servants, trainees must meet every citizen with empathy and understanding.

“When officers interact with the underprivileged or vulnerable sections of society, they must recognise that people’s struggles are shaped not only by their efforts but by wider social and economic circumstances. This is what makes an administrator truly people-centric and compassionate,” he said.

Singh acknowledged the continuing rise of women in the civil services, noting that in the latest UPSC examination, a woman secured the top rank, and three of the top five candidates were women.

He expressed confidence that by 2047, many women will rise to the position of Cabinet secretaries and lead India’s development journey.

Singh described the Foundation Course not merely as a training module but as a commitment to building an efficient, capable, and sensitive governance system.

He lauded LBSNAA for its comprehensive training ecosystem, which, he said, makes it a complete institution that strengthens the nation’s administrative capabilities.

As the UPSC marks its 100th year ahead, he highlighted that the partnership between UPSC and LBSNAA has shaped generations of administrators and will continue to strengthen India’s governance architecture.

Singh also paid floral tributes at statues of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and ‘Iron Man of India’ Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He also inaugurated an ODOP Pavilion on the premises of the academy, the ministry said.

Jammu, Nov 29: The Border Security Force is fully alert to maintain “zero” cross-border infiltration of terrorists in the Jammu region, a top officer said on Sunday and asserted that the flood-damaged infrastructure was restored and strengthened within a month.

Addressing the annual press conference, Inspector General of the Border Security Force (BSF), Jammu frontier, Shashank Anand, highlighted the force’s key achievements and its role during Operation Sindoor.

Anand also said the force is equipped for the winter months with the latest tools, including those that can see through foggy conditions.

“In this sensitive border region of Jammu, the BSF remains alert 365 days of the year and 24 hours, day or night, whatever the circumstances and weather conditions — rain, fog, cold or heat. We have been trained not to leave the posts.

“Our two brave soldiers achieved martyrdom during Operation Sindoor in May, fighting the enemy, while one of our brave soldiers drowned in Pragwal, manning a forward post in September, despite being a good swimmer. He did not leave the border post and preferred death, which shows that our soldiers consider the country supreme,” Anand, flanked by BSF Deputy Inspector Generals Vikram Kunwar and Kulwant Rai Sharma, told reporters here.

He said the border-guarding force is always alert and privy to the activities across the border. Having its own reliable sources, it gets timely inputs about possible infiltration attempts by terrorists, he said.

“And if I talk about the Jammu and Kashmir region, various agencies work together. There is the BSF, Army, Intelligence Bureau, Special Bureau, National Investigation Agency, and many other sister agencies through which we continuously receive inputs,” the Jammu BSF chief said, assuring people that the force is ready for any challenge.

Anand said the BSF is working hard to achieve the “zero infiltration” target along the border.

Asked about the massive damage caused to the anti-infiltration grid after the flooding in August-September, he admitted that the border infrastructure was impacted.

However, he asserted that BSF had dealt with similar calamities in 2014 and 1988, and it was sufficiently resilient to meet such challenges.

“One of our central government ministers reviewed the flood damage on August 31 and September 1 and received a detailed briefing with a promise that the damaged infrastructure will be rebuilt within a month,” Anand said.

The IG BSF said the force not only achieved its target but also “further strengthened the border grid”.

“Today, we are sitting in a system that is two or three times better. So, the damage that came, we took it as a challenge. We got an opportunity, and we saw how we can improve our system further,” Anand said.

During the flood, all possible infiltration routes were plugged with the deployment of manpower and enhanced surveillance, he told reporters.

Speaking about the narco-terror nexus, the BSF officer said the government is employing a 360-degree top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top approach to ensure strict action against all the accused.

“It is absolutely right that some people sell their country, and the same is true in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. And the anti-national forces take advantage of this to carry out narcotic smuggling,” he said.

Asked about the challenge on the border in the coming winter months, especially during the foggy conditions, he said the soldiers posted there are equipped with the required weapons and equipment.

“We also have such technology, which can detect the activities that are happening around the border in the fog. So, I think we are ready to face any challenge,” Anand said.

Jammu, Nov 29: More than six dozen terror launchpads have been shifted to the “depth areas” in Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, and the force is ready to inflict heavy losses on the enemy if the government decides to resume the cross-border operation, senior BSF officers said on Saturday.

However, the BSF is honouring the halt in military action after four days of clashes from May 7-10, they said.

“After the BSF destroyed many terror launchpads along the border during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan government shifted all such facilities to the depth areas… About 12 launchpads are working from the depth areas of Sialkot and Zaffarwal, which are not exactly on the border.

“Similarly, 60 launchpads are working in the other depth areas away from the border,” BSF DIG Vikram Kunwar told reporters here.

Kunwar, along with BSF IG, Jammu Frontier, Shashank Anand, and DIG Kulwant Rai Sharma addressed a joint press conference to highlight the achievements of the force in 2025, including its role in Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre with cross-border links that claimed 26 lives.

The officer said the figures of these launchpads, as well as the terrorists present in them, keep changing.

“They do not sit there permanently. These launchpads are generally active when terrorists have to be pushed (into India)… They are not kept in more than two or three groups,” DIG Kunwar said while informing that there are no training camps in the areas close to the International Border presently.

The reports generally say that there is deployment in the launchpads, indicating training before terrorists are moved to other areas.

“Earlier, they used to have areas marked, where those belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad would be active on the down side, and those from Lashkar-e-Taiba will be active on the upper side. After Operation Sindoor, they have formed a mixed group. Those who want can get training in a mixed group,” DIG Kunwar said.

IG Anand said the BSF is ready to follow the orders of the government if it decides to resume Operation Sindoor.

“If we talk about 1965, 1971, the 1999 Kargil War, or Operation Sindoor, the BSF has a good experience of all kinds of wars, be it conventional or hybrid warfare. We are ready.

“If we get a chance, we are capable of causing more damage than what we did in May. Whatever policy the government decides, the BSF will play its role in it,” he said.

Asked about Pakistani Rangers running away from their posts during Operation Sindoor, the IG said once the situation becomes normal, it is necessary that everyone returns to their respective positions.

“It took them a lot of time to recover from the damages inflicted by the BSF. In some locations, they have tried to strengthen their defence. But all of their activities are under our surveillance,” the IG said.

The BSF is making its plans according to the changing circumstances, he said, and “when we get a chance, we will take proper action”.

“At the moment, there is no movement (of terrorists on the border) to raise an alarm,” the officer said.

New Delhi, Nov 29: Researchers in Australia have identified a drug that can help overcome treatment resistance in relapsed neuroblastoma — the deadly childhood cancer.

The discovery could improve neuroblastoma treatment — the most common solid tumour in children outside the brain — which currently claims nine out of 10 young patients who experience recurrence, Xinhua news agency reported

According to Australia’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research, the drug combination can bypass the cellular defences these tumours develop that lead to relapse.

The team showed that the approved lymphoma drug — romidepsin — triggers neuroblastoma cell death via alternative pathways, bypassing blocked routes to improve chemotherapy-resistant cases in children.

Researchers found standard chemotherapy drugs rely on the JNK pathway “switch” for cell death. In relapsed tumours, this switch has often stopped working, meaning treatments are no longer effective.

The findings made in animal models showed that romidepsin combined with standard chemotherapy halts tumour growth via alternative cell-death pathways, bypassing the blocked JNK pathway common in resistant cases.

The combo reduced tumour growth, extended survival, and allowed lower chemo doses, potentially reducing side effects for young children, according to the findings published in Science Advances.

“Finding a way to overcome the resistant state of relapsed high-risk neuroblastomas has been a major goal for my lab,” said David Croucher, Associate Professor at the Garvan Institute.

“These tumours can be highly resistant to chemotherapy – and the statistics once patients get to that point are devastating for families,” he added.

Romidepsin is already approved for use in other cancers and has been tested for safety in children, which could potentially accelerate the development of the drug as a new treatment option for neuroblastoma.

However, any clinical application requires further testing and clinical trials to establish the combination’s safety and efficacy in neuroblastoma, Croucher said.